The clarion., 1887-04-13
An Issue With Mr.. Randall.

Two fresh political considerations have
conspired to make Hon. Samuel Randall q
subject of peculiar interest One is re-
port that number of Democ attic mem.
bers-elect of the next Congress have signed
paper pledging themselves to support
| Speaker Carlisle for reelection only on
condition that he agrees to omit Mr.. RAN
| dali from the committee on appropria-
| tions. The other is that the Pennsylvania
Republicans, in redistricting the State
| will leave Mr.. RandalPs Philadelphia
district as it is. They can easily make it
Republican and thus set Mr.. Randall
aside, but they will not do this they are
entirely satisfied with Mr.. Randall he is
good enough Republican for them, and
they will leave him to his seat in the
House.
The attitude in which these facts present
Mr.. Randall is matter of vital interest to
the Democratic party. He is distin-
guished member of the party. Ills ability
is admitted. His long experience makes
him capable legislator. His integrity
is above suspicion There is not the trace
of blotch on his private or public repu-
tation. And, in addition to all this, he
has been Speaker of three successive Dem
ocratic Houses. Here is Democratic
record that gives Mr.. Randall high and
honorable position in the party, and has,
for seven years, placed him in the ranks of
presidential candidates.
And yet. for all this, the party has a du-
ty to itself and the country to perform
with regard to Mr.. Randall, which it can
not avoid if it would. The party is unde r
pledge to reform the tariff by reductio n
of duties, and in two successive Democratic
Houses it has signally aud even shameful
ly failed to keep this pledge. The treas
ury is gorged with millions of money,
which the government takes from the peo-
pie without needing il, and the two Demo-
cratic Houses have come into and passed
out cf existence without correcting tie in
siderable evil, because Mr.. Randall and a
small following of protectionist Demo-
crats forbid it. He has managed to place
the party before the country as recrea Mt,
whose promises are made only to be
broken, and as an embecile incapable of
dealing with so simple a difficulty as
surplus of revenue. Can such party win
the next presidential election ?
There are grave doubts about it. What
is to be done, then? The party must set
itself right before the country. 1t must
redeem its pledge. 1t must reduce the
tariff, even If it has to degrade Mr.. Ran
dali and walk over him in the perform
ance of the task. The question is very
narrow one. The party must set Mr. RAN
dali aside, or make up its mind to be set
aside itself. Some other man must be
selected for chairman of the committee on
appropriations, and Mr.. Randall allowed
to subdue to lower level. where, if he
can do the party no good, he viii NOT be
shle to do it any harm.
A break with Mr.. Randall will mean, of
course, break with the protectionist
Democrats who support him. But it must
come to this at last if the party is to main
tain itself before the people. The issue
ought TO have been made eighteen mouths
ago, At the beginning of the late Congress.
It win be a fatal mistake to put it of one
day longer than the meeting of the next
Congress. Louis Repabfican.